When he was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Bill Heibein was told he only had five good years left.
But 13 years later, he’s still playing with his band Bottom of the Barrel, working on his farm and helping out with the Alzheimer Society of Thunder Bay as the honourary chair.
“A lot of people with dementia can do a lot of things that people wouldn’t expect,” he said. “I’m still going.
Seeing the person, not the disease, was the theme of this year’s Walk for Memories at Intercity Shopping Centre Sunday morning. More than 300 people turned out to take part. Crystal Ahtila travelled all the way from Red Deer. She’s been walking in it for years. But this year she wanted to be with her father Mark Winters, who has the disease, to make it special.
“It’s pretty awesome to be able to do it with my dad,” she said. “Growing up my dad was my hero. I would travel across the world for him.”
People raised funds and walked to remember those who have been taken by Alzheimer’s. But it’s also about much more than that Heibein said.
“More than anything it’s a walk for hope,” he said.
Heibein credits early diagnosis and medication for giving him more years than doctors expected. New research is being done all the time to help he said.
The walk raised $34,000. The society is hoping to make it $50,000 by the end of February.
